Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

What did I miss?

JStar
JStar Member Posts: 2,752
Hello, fellow wetheads.

Sorry for ghosting y'all. I went through a real dark time while closing our business a few years back. I've learned a lot about the value of my personal time and professional labor since then. The sound of a phone ringing or email notification at night no longer fills me with a feeling of intense dread.

I'm still in NJ, and available for consulting and light service. If any of my former customers have been trying to reach me (my phone and email were inactive), I'll try to rectify the harm caused by my absence to the best of my ability. I hear that a few folks have taken up the torch around the state and have been doing killer work. I'm happy to see good steam work being done, and looking forward to being active here again.
CanuckerAlan (California Radiant) ForbesSlamDunkIronmandelta T

Comments

  • SeanBeans
    SeanBeans Member Posts: 520
    A few years ago I was in a basement Of an old friends house, there were two steam boilers but the only one I could get access to looked like you had installed it! In White House,NJ
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    Cool! If it wasn't me, then it's still great to know that someone did it right. I'm honored that you thought it might be mine.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,162
    Hey! I personally am delighted to see you back on board -- I've missed you, and so have others! Yes we do have some really good folks in Jersey these days, but nowhere near enough!
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Canucker
    Canucker Member Posts: 722
    Glad to see you're back @JStar I loved looking at your installs. Hopefully I'll get to see some more
    You can have it good, fast or cheap. Pick two
  • Hap_Hazzard
    Hap_Hazzard Member Posts: 2,846
    To be honest, I didn't miss you.

    But that's only because I was coincidentally absent for about the same time frame. :D

    So welcome back!
    Just another DIYer | King of Prussia, PA
    1983(?) Peerless G-561-W-S | 3" drop header, CG400-1090, VXT-24
    JStar
  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    Welcome Back!..."What did I miss?" Here's a few:

    -20 people with Nest thermostat problems/wiring issues.
    -10 people with steam boiler venting issues.
    -A few people who insist on fixing their own oil burners with no tools or training.
    -1 guy trying to fix his boiler piping for 3 weeks by the trial and terror method.
    A wonderful post about Bob and his son.
    steve
    CanuckerZman
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
    Welcome back, @JStar !
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    Fred said:

    Welcome back, @JStar !

    This. And your old van is still going strong.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Le John
    Le John Member Posts: 226
    > @STEVEusaPA said:
    > Welcome Back!..."What did I miss?" Here's a few:
    >
    > -20 people with Nest thermostat problems/wiring issues.
    > -10 people with steam boiler venting issues.
    > -A few people who insist on fixing their own oil burners with no tools or training.
    > -1 guy trying to fix his boiler piping for 3 weeks by the trial and terror method.
    > A wonderful post about Bob and his son.

    Hey @STEVEusaPA I could use a guy like you who writes accurate meeting minutes. @JStar - we all experience dark times at least once in our lives - glad to have you back!
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    Thanks for the kind welcome back.

    @Steamhead glad to hear the truck is working for you. I'm thinking about finding something similar for side work again.

    Here's some of what I've been working on lately. Lots of old stuff in these NJ school districts.
  • Le John
    Le John Member Posts: 226
    That’s a big boiler. That would scare me!
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,570
    When you began your Sabbatical, "where's JStar?", Was the number 1 question. Welcome back.
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,367
    Welcome back!
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    edited December 2019
    > @Le John said:
    > That’s a big boiler. That would scare me!

    Here's how it was running before I got there to tune it up.

    https://youtu.be/qbJU5KSPkcY
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,584
    > @STEVEusaPA said:
    > Welcome Back!..."What did I miss?" Here's a few:
    >
    > -20 people with Nest thermostat problems/wiring issues.
    > -10 people with steam boiler venting issues.
    > -A few people who insist on fixing their own oil burners with no tools or training.
    > -1 guy trying to fix his boiler piping for 3 weeks by the trial and terror method.
    > A wonderful post about Bob and his son.

    This is clearly a BS post.
    It's been a whole lot more than 20 posts about Nest.

    > @Le John said:
    > That’s a big boiler. That would scare me!

    I'm pretty sure those boilers don't scare @JStar

    But I'm betting this does.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • SlamDunk
    SlamDunk Member Posts: 1,570
    That boiler has a face!
  • With evil eyes!—NBC
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,722
    > @JStar said:
    > > @Le John said:
    > > That’s a big boiler. That would scare me!
    >
    > Here's how it was running before I got there to tune it up.
    >
    > https://youtu.be/qbJU5KSPkcY

    Fire breathing monster.
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • JStar
    JStar Member Posts: 2,752
    That's how I spent my Halloween this year.
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,584
    > @JStar said:
    > That's how I spent my Halloween this year.

    Like the gif I posted?!?
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • ScottSecor
    ScottSecor Member Posts: 851
    Is that Todd? brand burner a rotary cup? I haven't worked on one in thirty years, but I was always amazed at hot simple they were.

    If memory serves me those Kewanee boilers were some of the tallest we worked on. Many of the Kewanees we serviced were sitting on brick bases, kind of unusual for tube style boilers I guess.

    That must be a very big school with all those newer large CB boilers. Haven't seen too many new ones in my life.

    Glad your back and thanks for sharing, brings back some old memories.
  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 1,951
    > @JStar said:
    > > @Le John said:
    > > That’s a big boiler. That would scare me!
    >
    > Here's how it was running before I got there to tune it up.
    >
    > https://youtu.be/qbJU5KSPkcY

    Well. At least the basement got a little extra heat
  • Le John
    Le John Member Posts: 226
    Reminds me of The scene from the Amityville Horror where the house says to GET OUT! That boiler is saying to get out!
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,476
    Glad to have you back in the fold, I always learned something from your posts.

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge